Nobody said it was easy having a sibling
by mykonosparadise
Summary: It's easy having a younger sibling? Lies. At least that's what Gilbert thinks. But only sometimes.
1. Failed Mission

**Title: **_**Nobody said it was easy (having a sibling) 1/4**_

**Character(s): **Prussia, Germany, Germania

**Pairing: **None

**Warnings: **young!Germany, masturbation, language, AU, human names

**Summary: **It's easy having a younger sibling? Lies. At least that's what Gilbert thinks. But only sometimes.

**- Chapter 1 - (Failed Mission)**

Gilbert hummed silently in a complacent tone as he walked away from his bed towards the wooden desk − the bedroom door was on his left − and placed a box of tissues beside the laptop.

Lubricant?

_Check._

Door locked?

_Check._

He rummaged through his backpack in search for the precious DVD Francis gave him last week and found what he was looking for in no time.

Porn?

_Check._

The fun could start now.

He clasped his palms together with a snicker and sat onto the chair. Excitement rushed through his chest in expectation – it was a long time since he had some 'special time' alone. He was a healthy, eighteen-years-old boy who needed to give into his desires once in a while and – masturbate. Nothing special was needed. Some good porn and his right hand were enough.

Fortunately for him, his father was busy at the moment, reading something downstairs in the living room, so he didn't need to fear interruption. Ludwig, his little brother, was probably in his own bedroom, either learning or reading something as well. Gilbert let out a half-snort at he thought — the blond boy was too uptight for his age. That was a fact. If Ludwig continues with this attitude, Gilbert considered either breaking off every kind of contact to him or grasping Ludwig under arms to help him become a mini version of himself. Anyone would want to be as awesome as him, right? Right.

Pushing his plans to the back of his mind for a later reference, he started the video and turned the volume down. Another snicker escaped him as he uncapped the plastic bottle with the lubricant − he liked it comfortable, mind you – and poured a small amount of the lucid substance onto his left palm. Come to think of it, it was Francis who gave it to him as 'a present'. But, on the other side, Francis gave one to Antonio as well. No reason to bang his head against a wall. It was just Francis being his usual self.

He felt a new rush of adrenaline as the film started, and rubbed the lubricant into the skin lazily, his other hand reached for the waistband of his gray pants. He was already half-hard.

Before he got the chance to pull 'little Gilbert' out, a yellow parakeet budgie flattered onto his right shoulder and gave a short peep. This didn't startle him at all, it merely caused him to give a short groan.

"Sorry, my friend, I forgot about you." He addressed his pet, Gilbird − as he named it subtly − and leaned his head toward his pet spontaneously. He scratched the bird carefully where he knew Gilbird would like it the most. The little animal leaned back in toward Gilbert and began nipping and tugging at its owner's pale cheek, making him smile.

Gilbert decided to bring him back into the cage before the best part of the film started.

"Let's put you back in there, shall we?" He cooed.

After Gilbird jumped into its bird-cage with a chirp, the teen made his way to the laptop again, but not before stopping in front of the huge mirror which was located somewhere between the cage and the door to admire his own reflection for a brief second. He grinned at his own appearance. Truth to be told, he was rather handsome and he earned his looks from his father. One hand threaded in the light blond hair, disheveling the mid-long strands before a few fell into their previous place again.

Once back in the chair, he felt ready for some 'action'. And 'action' seemed to be a highly appropriate term right now – the actors seemed to have started with the most interesting part. He felt himself harden further and he licked his lips in anticipation, deciding to fish out his 'five meters' and start the fun.

His skin soaked up the lubricant by now, but to hell with it. He could handle rough today. Finally, he closed his fingers around his member in a secure grip and started pumping.

He leaned back, eyes fell on half mast in lust. As he continued working on his erection, his right hand settled on his taut abdomen.

Gilbert managed to keep all the noises in even after a few more minutes, swallowing thickly as the familiar tingling feeling settled in his nether regions. His breaths were coming shorter. He closed his eyes and increased the grip on his member, biting his cheek to prevent himself from making any sounds when a knock on the door crushed all hopes of reaching his release.

"Brother? Are you busy?" The muffled voice from the other side belonged to no one else than Ludwig.

Fuck.

'_Why now?_' He wanted cry out, but he bit back his protests.

Instead, he forced himself to stop trembling in panic − his fingers did at least − and minimized the video, tucking himself in quickly. He jumped to his feet, already on his way to open the door, but something more important fell onto his mind then. He cursed inwardly and returned to the desk, grabbed the tissues and tossed them on the bed, not sure where to hide the bottle.

"Gilbert?" Ludwig's voice interrupted his fruitless attempts to get rid of the evidences and reminded him that he still didn't offer an answer.

"Wait a second." He grumbled, slipping the bottle inside his backpack with a sigh before zipping it.

Ludwig was patiently waiting on the other side and he just couldn't ignore him, but the erection was a problem. He glared at the conspicuous tent. Quick, he unlocked the door and practically jumped back onto the chair, praying that Ludwig didn't see anything.

But he didn't even enter.

He didn't go away, did he?

Gilbert highly doubted. He would have said something. This meant only one thing – his brother was still waiting for an approval to enter. What a well-behaved kid. Everything their father failed to teach Gilbert was atoned with the youngest family member.

"You can come in now." Gilbert informed, pretending to search through a folder for something.

The door clicked open and his brother stepped in quietly.

And then he closed the door which usually meant he wanted to talk about something or needed help with homework.

Gilbert turned to look at him and found his brother holding what seemed like several books to his chest. His suspicions were officially confirmed.

"Am I being a nuisance, brother?" Ludwig asked in a voice too serious for an eleven-years-old child. He came closer but hesitated to place his load on Gilbert's desk before getting an approval to do so.

Gilbert adored his little brother. He loved the younger blond from the bottom of his heart, but while the better man inside him wanted to pinch his cheeks and tell him that he was asking silly questions, his other, more selfish side, wanted to shout at him to get the hell out of his room.

"No, you are not." Gilbert beckoned him to come nearer and put his books on the desk, right where that bottle was until a second ago. He crossed his legs, feeling uncomfortable. "… Not anymore, at least." He added under his breath.

Questioning blue eyes glanced up but Gilbert waved it off.

"What do you need?" He asked instead, his voice sounding colder than he intended it to be. He regretted it immediately. Ludwig didn't deserve to be treated like that, but he shouldn't have interrupted him either.

Ludwig watched him for few more seconds. Gilbert felt almost intimidated by that penetrating gaze and those intelligent sky-blue eyes. Ludwig seemed too mature for his age.

"Your eyes are red." The younger one stated simply.

Gilbert scowled at him.

"Is _that_ why you came here?" Gilbert couldn't believe.

"No. But why do you wear contacts at home. You don't need them, brother. Papa said—"

"Ludwig." Gilbert interrupted, barely fighting the urge to yell out in frustration. "Say what you want or leave the room right now."

"But it's not healthy—"

"_Ludwig_." Gilbert warned.

The child clenched its fists and mirrored Gilbert's expression, scowling.

"Can you help me with the homework? There is something I need help with." He asked in forced politeness.

The older Beilschmidt wasn't in the mood for this. Sexually frustrated, annoyed and still half-hard. He felt like slamming his fists against the nearest flat surface.

"No, I can't, I'm busy right now." How didn't he see?

Ludwig's scowl was replaced with a look of hurt and embarrassment mixed together. And then there were those beautiful blue eyes again and that adorable gaze that Gilbert couldn't resist – he regretted his words.

"You said I am not disturbing you. Why did you change your mind now?" Ludwig was a bright child, really, but it was driving him up the wall sometimes.

"Well, I'm busy now, so _ciao_." He stared at the screen, taking the mouse into his hand, making a mental note to clean it later. He expected Ludwig to pick up his books and go, but he simply stood there, mouse-quiet. Gilbert successfully resisted the urge to look at him again and find out what was happening.

Ludwig apparently had other plans than to go away.

"I'm going to tell Papa." The younger one challenged.

Gilbert's eyes widened for a second before frowning. He finally looked at Ludwig.

"_Get out_." The words were almost hissed out.

Ludwig took a deep breath through his nose and Gilbert expected him to give a dramatic sigh, but he did exactly the opposite.

"Papaaaaaa!" He called loudly, almost making him cover his ears.

"Why you little—"

"Brother won't help me do my homework!" Ludwig turned to face the door as he shouted again.

The older boy opened his mouth to say something, but their father's stern voice coming from downstairs cut him off before he even had the chance to respond.

"_Gilbert!_"

Said son literally growled and punched his right thigh in a rather stupid and painful attempt to let some steam off.

"_Dammit!_ For crying out loud − what do you want?" He asked gruffly and looked at the blond again. Was he imagining it or was there really a small smile on Ludwig's lips?

"You shouldn't curse in front of me, brother." The younger one lectured.

"To hell with that. You won't pick up any of those anyway." It was the truth. Ludwig, like the good child he was, wouldn't even try repeat his bad vocabulary. "Will you now finally tell me what you need help with?"

Much to his own surprise, Ludwig started gathering his books, one after another, and held them tight to his chest.

"It doesn't matter anymore. I knew it from the start anyway." And with that, he left.

"_What_!"

* * *

Ludwig closed the door of his bedroom cautiously and walked towards the stairs on tiptoe, careful not to wake anybody.

There were five rooms upstairs. Both he and Gilbert had their respective bedrooms – Ludwig's and their father's room on one side of the long hall, Gilbert's on the other – there was one guest room and one bathroom.

It was one o'clock after midnight and the other two were probably sleeping, so he slipped downstairs quietly, hoping to find something − preferably sweet − to eat before going to bed. It didn't happen often, and he wasn't used to eating this late either, but he was caught up in that book and now he needed something to fill his tummy.

His heart skipped a beat as he reached the ground floor, two things causing this reaction. He remembered that there was one piece of the chocolate cake Papa made left – dessert he loved like no other – and he felt something furry brushing against his ankle.

"Blackie." He whispered to his six-months-old pup, smiling in the darkness. His father let him have his own pet because Gilbert had his own and also because he had a strong sense of responsibility. And he loved this little German Shepherd Dog.

He sauntered over to the living-room, paying attention to avoid the dog's paws, and opened it.

A surprise struck him as he realized the room was partially illuminated by the light coming from the kitchen with which it was connected.

Ludwig took few steps forward, blinking at the bright light, and peeked over the bar to see who was there, his pet followed him the entire time. He saw Gilbert sitting on the table, eating a cake and leafing through a magazine while Gilbird nibbled on seeds that Gilbert put on the table.

That was Papa's cake he wanted.

Gilbert noticed him immediately and glanced up, their eyes locked in a stare. Neither said a word.

The dog ran towards the pair inside and barked at the bird once, forcing it fly a circle around the kitchen in panic before it found safety on top of Gilbert's head.

"Blackie." Ludwig scolded and the animal listened. It sat down, but never stopped wriggling its tail in excitement.

Gilbert refused to start a conversation so Ludwig decided to move and look for something else to eat instead of standing there dumbly. Before he would open the fridge, he threw one last glance at the delicious piece of cake Gilbert was eating, not noticing how the other caught his stare.

He scanned the contents of the fridge and took a bottle of milk in one hand, searching for something else that might appease his appetite for sweets. He didn't want to call himself a spoiled child – though he was to some extent – but right now, as he wasn't able to find anything else he desired, stubborn tears filled his eyes at the taste of defeat.

He _really_ had wanted that damn cake.

As he pretended to search for something, Ludwig heard his brother leave the kitchen and one sharp chirp coming from Gilbird before the living-room door was closed.

He gritted his teeth in rage and restrained himself from shutting the fridge close, aware of his brother's habits. He wanted to shout at him to return and wash his own dirty dishes instead simply leaving them on the table. Turning around on his heels with a visible pout, he stopped for a second, taking in the sight. Blue eyes widened in wonder.

The bigger part of the cake was still there, untouched, waiting for him.

Ludwig wasted another minute as he stared at the chocolate cake in silence.

Then he smiled and sat down to finish the cake Gilbert left to him.

_**To Be Continued…**_

**A/N: I planned two or three more chapters for the fic. Oh, I need suggestions for papa Germania's name too? Any ideas?**


	2. Ruined Plans

**Title: **_**Nobody said it was easy (having a sibling) 2/4**_

**Character(s): **Prussia, Germany, Germania, France, Spain

**Pairing(s):** Germania/Rome, Spain/Romano

**Warnings: **young!Germany, language, alcohol, AU, human names

**A/N: I've decided! Papa Germania's human name will be 'Gerhart' (found it on a list of old Germanic names). Thank you for all the lovely suggestions!**

**Also, Rome's human name will be 'Remus'. The name was already used and I asked for permission to use the same name.**

**Enjoy…**

**- Chapter 2 - (Caring)**

"—_and don't forget to lock the door, Gilbert_."

"Yeah, yeah…" Said male rolled his eyes and relocated the phone onto the other side, pressing it tight between his shoulder and his ear, buttoning his dark-red shirt.

"_You sound like you're not listening to me_." His father's serious voice came from the earphone after a few moments.

"I've got it, dad. I'll make sure everything is alright, give him a goodnight kiss—" He chuckled at the mere thought, "—and I'll lock the door. _Then_ I'm leaving. Right?" Gilbert checked his reflection in the hall mirror a last time before heading to the kitchen, pleased with the result. He looked awesome. He always did.

"_Right_." Gerhart responded, voice laced with annoyance, but he was pleased that Gilbert has grasped the point.

The teen passed the living room and stopped beside the bar that separated the room from the kitchen where two other males were sitting, drinking and having some snacks.

Gilbert heard a rustling sound on the other end of the line, Gerhart spoke.

"_It's seven o'clock now. He should be there in about an hour. I will call Remus later if I manage_."

"Dad, seriously, don't get your knickers in a twist. It's not the first time he's over at Feli's, everything's fine." Gilbert assured. He leaned an elbow onto the bar pane and opened his mouth wide, gesturing to the other blond in the room to throw a peanut inside.

Francis's first attempt failed, the peanut bounced against Gilbert's chin and fell onto the floor, making Antonio chuckle at their actions. The second one landed directly in Gilbert's mouth though and Francis winked at him with a triumphant smile.

"I'll call you if anything strange happens. I'm hanging up now, okay?" Gilbert spoke, munching on the food.

"_Alright. Take care_."

"'kay." Gilbert ended the call and put the device flat against the wooden surface.

Gilbert, Francis and Antonio.

Three friends − best friends − three garrulous eighteen-year-old boys who liked to call themselves _The Bad Touch Trio_. Considered to be the most popular trio in school, they were also thought to be blithe and bold, even perverted.

Francis without a doubt was, it was hardly a secret. However, the other two didn't know what they have done to deserve such reputation.

It was Friday, their favorite day, and time to have fun. In other words, it was time to go out and party, and so they did what they always do. And that is come together before actually going out, have a drink or two, talk, gossip. This ritual was usually taking place at Francis's apartment since he lived alone, but certain circumstances forced them to change their plans today.

Gilbert had to wait for his brother to return home first and make sure everything is alright. Only then he could leave the house.

"I thought your father isn't working night-shifts…" Francis inquired subtly. He mirrored Gilbert and leaned onto the bar.

"He doesn't. Just filling in for some other guy today." His friend informed and snatched a handful of peanuts from the ceramic bowl, "Not that he actually minds, with that private life of his… "His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "I doubt he has anything better to do."

"Now now, don't be like that, Gil, he has the two of you." Antonio reminded.

"Ah, I mean other things, Antonio, like… love-life for example. He has nobody, and I've told him more than once that Remus is checking him out. He always ignores me though."

"Are you serious?" Francis demanded right away, the information being new to him.

"Yeah, why not man? He's a widower too." Gilbert scowled.

"No, you didn't get my point, _mon cher_." Francis smiled and put a finger on his chin, scratching his short beard. "I didn't know your father was gay."

"What does it matter?" Gilbert gave him a look of disbelief, "_Hell_, half of our school's probably gay, Francis. Including you." He added quickly.

"Mhmm." Antonio nodded in support.

Francis pursed his lips, waving him off nonchalantly. "Whatever you say. Where were we anyway?"

"Arthur." Antonio reminded kindly.

"Ah, yeah. Well, I heard he got terribly drunk last week. He was crying too, or so I've heard. True?" Francis glanced at Gilbert, expecting to hear the answer.

"No idea. But with such eyebrows, I'd be crying too."

Even though both laughed out, Francis decided to defend their current victim.

"I don't get you, Francis. Why do you even bother? He practically hates you." Gilbert demanded, watching his friend take a sip of his wine.

"He is mostly well-behaved when drunk, believe me." Francis placed the glass down and smiled mysteriously. "I think I could even convince him to a foursome––"

Gilbert silenced him effectively by curling his upper lip in disgust.

"Now that goes against my standards." He pointed at the brunette, "And Antonio here is practically married to that bad-tempered brat."

"But, Gil, Romano isn't a brat." Antonio almost whined, "And we're not married." He added for a good measure.

"But you wish you were."

"I do."

Gilbert huffed out and smacked the bar with the palm of his hand. Their eyes locked in a stare and Gilbert spoke after a short stare-contest.

"Even if he treats you like trash?"

" _Sí_." Antonio answered simply, completely confident in his decision.

Gilbert rounded the bar and stepped up to Francis, wound his arm around his shoulder and shook his head with an expression of fake pity.

"You know, my friend," He began didactically, "Right after Antonio, you're the most stupid love-sick-puppy."

"And you'll let him get away with that?" Antonio asked, seeing Francis smile.

"Why not? That's the biggest and most accurate compliment I've ever been given, _mon ami_."

Gilbert convulsed with a laughter.

"Not joking." Francis added. "I'm a man who is practically _always_ in love, there is nothing wrong with that."

"But, unlike _him_," Gilbert countered, referring to Antonio, "You're in love with _anyone_."

"Again, I fail to see what's wrong with that. You know my motto—"

"'I fuck, therefore I am'." Antonio and Gilbert recited in unison.

"I'd rather say 'make love' – that is more romantic – but you get the point, _oui_?"

"Right."

"So…" Francis began, his tone suddenly veering, "Since we're going out tonight − who wants one?" He rummaged through his pockets.

"One what?" Gilbert asked, suspicious.

Francis wriggled his eyebrows provocatively, a gesture which always implied something of sexual nature. A package of condoms was revealed, Francis waved it to and fro in front of their eyes teasingly.

"_No way_. Not for me, my friend." Gilbert refused.

"Why not? I know a five-meters-condom doesn't exist, but you cannot use it as an excuse − protection comes first, Gil." Francis joked.

"Ha-ha. Very funny." Gilbert's eyes were fixed on him. "You know why. Ever since dad caught me last time— Here, see this." He took a package of bubblegum out of his pocket and threw it onto the bar.

The other two stared at the item. Antonio seemed utterly confused, Francis spoke up.

"Gilbert, really, you can't use this as a condom…"

Gilbert made an attempt to swat him on the head, but Francis ducked, laughing.

"No shit, Sherlock." He sat down again, but didn't hide his smile nor his flush. "We went shopping this morning and just when I was about to buy condoms, dad appeared out of nowhere. I grabbed the first thing I managed, and ended up with handful of _bubblegum_." He emphasized, pulling a face. "Thank God he didn't suspect anything. I'd be ruined. Don't want him to fly off the handle like the last time." Gilbert shuddered at the memory.

"Last time? What was it about?" Antonio mocked. He knew the answer very well.

"Ah, well, you see − nothing special." He answered in a fake sweet voice. "Apart from the fact that he caused a fucking scandal after finding one box in my room."

"But it can't be because of the package itself, can it? It only shows that you are responsible… or something similar." Francis shrugged.

Gilbert's flush deepened. "It's not that. The real problem was that two were missing."

"Two?" Antonio cut in, "I though you gave me only one that night?"

"I did."

"So where's the other one?" Francis pressed with obvious interest. "You said you didn't get any back then, were you lying to us?"

"Of course not." He pointed at the ceiling, "I made a balloon and gave it to my brother. It's still in his room."

Loud laughter spread through the room.

"And what did he say?" Francis asked.

Gilbert shrugged too. "He doesn't even know what it is. Dad neither."

He paused.

"He is so uptight, it should be illegal." His friends let him spill his heart. "Just look at him – he's what, thirty-seven? And he's alone. Something must be done − the sooner the better."

"Do you want my candid opinion?" Francis asked and took a long sip of his wine. He licked the glass brim afterwards, aware that two pairs of eyes were watching him.

"Francis, stop that. It's called alcohol abuse."

He gave a chuckle, ignoring Gilbert's words. "He needs to get laid."

Gilbert sputtered as the mental images flooded him poor head. "For crying out loud! I hope I won't be in the house when that happens."

The laughter that followed drowned out the sound of the entrance door being opened.

"And here I am asking myself why everybody assumes we're perverts…"

"That's because we _are_." Francis assured.

"… Brother?" Another voice reached them, sounding like a plea.

It made them stop with the chit-chat. Gilbert turned towards the source, expecting to hear more.

"Ludwig?" He called after several moments, now wondering if he had imagined the voice.

"I-I'm here. In the hall. Can you come here, please…?" Ludwig pleaded quietly.

"It's alright, you can come in – it's only Francis and Antonio." Gilbert encouraged, but didn't make a move.

Antonio did though, jumping from the stool with a smile – he loved children, it wasn't a surprise – and ran off to greet the younger blond.

"_Ludwiii~g_!" He cooed. Adorable how the boy acted so shy. "Come in here, don't be af—" Antonio stopped in his tracks upon laying eyes on the child.

The whole scene was like a string of stares. Francis watched his blond friend because he couldn't see Antonio, Gilbert stared at Antonio, confused by his behavior, while Antonio stared at, Gilbert assumed, Ludwig.

"Uhh… Gilbert?" Antonio switched his gaze to him. "I think you should really come over here."

Gilbert hurried over in haste, heart beating wildly in his chest, alarmed. The mere suspicion that something might have happened to his brother made him panic.

He gripped the wooden door frame with a hand, moving Antonio out of his way. "Ludwig, what ha— _Jesus Christ_… Ludwig?"

Gilbert stared, mouth open, trying to comprehend what happened.

Francis joined by now, peering over their shoulders to get a better view.

The first thing obvious was that the little blond was alone. He already took off his shoes and put them aside neatly, but the rest of his clothes seemed soaked and covered in – white.

He was white all over. His hair was practically white, his face as well, with few speckles of brown on his cheeks and under his left eye, his bright blue eyes standing out like sapphires.

Ludwig stood there as though frozen, looking intimidated, with a confounded expression on his adorable features, obviously uncomfortable that his intentions failed and that he was discovered in this embarrassing situation.

Making sure that his brother wasn't injured, merely looking like something the cat dragged in, Antonio, shortly followed by Francis, snickered at the sight. Gilbert himself resisted the urge to join them and crossed the distance, crouching in front of Ludwig.

"Ludwig… what happened?" He said and reached out to embrace him, but the younger Beilschmidt backed off with in a wince and gave Gilbert a look of disbelief.

"What?" Gilbert asked, startled by the action.

"Your clothes will get dirty." Ludwig stated, making him roll his eyes. Gilbert chose to ignore his reaction and pulled him nearer, wounding his arms around the blond's mid-section and lifting him up. Ludwig wrapped his legs around Gilbert's waist with a sound of protest, not comfortable with the fact that he was ruining his brother's clothes.

"Well, _mon ami_," Francis began and went to take his jacket. "Seems like you've decided not to join us tonight."

Gilbert gave him a cheeky smile in return, knowing that Francis was using the chance to mock him.

Antonio mimicked and gathered his belongings as well.

"Sorry to tell you this, but you're not getting any tonight, my friend." Francis winked at him and threaded his fingers through his long hair in a flout. Gilbert knew he was only fooling around. They weren't best friends for nothing.

"Oh yeah?" Gilbert started in a cocky voice, "Well, I don't give a shi—"

"_Gilbert_!" Antonio cut him off, pointing at Ludwig with a nick.

Gilbert gave a groan. "Read it from my lips then," He pressed one hand on the back of Ludwig's head quickly, forcing him to title his face down as not to see him and mouthed a 'fuck you' to Francis. Said teen blew him a kiss in return and opened the door.

Gilbert saw them out with Ludwig still in his arms, watching them leave. Antonio waved to them with a smile.

"Good luck chasing skirts, you'll need it. I'll call ya later!" Gilbert shouted after them and closed the door with his hip.

Ludwig was mouse-quite the entire time while Gilbert carried him to the bathroom and made him sit on the edge of the bathtub. He rummaged through a cabinet in search for a clean towel, telling Ludwig to take his clothes off.

The younger blonde complied and discarded the dirty clothes, letting them fall beside the tub.

"So, tell me again…" Gilbert began, barely hiding his smile as he re-turned, "How the hell did you end up like this?"

"It's a long story…" Ludwig informed quietly as he stood in the tub naked.

"We've got a lot of time now, don't we?" Gilbert urged and pulled his sleeves up.

Ludwig sighed, thinking about where to start. Gilbert turned the water on in the meantime, adjusting it to warm, and started to clean his brother.

"Feliciano wanted to cook. I told him not to, but he wouldn't listen to me." Ludwig said, a warm spray of water cleaned off the filth from his arms, "He climbed onto the kitchen counter and he wanted to take something from those cabinets, but he couldn't reach it. I brought a chair to help him… he tore open a bag of flour which fell right onto my head." The boy finished in a murmur, causing Gilbert to chuckle.

"And this?" He asked, wiping the brownish stains off of Ludwig's cheeks with a thumb.

"We had chocolate." Ludwig murmured again, as if the sentence would explain everything to his brother. Gilbert lifted an eyebrow and pushed Ludwig's head down, signalizing that he was about to wash his hair.

"And?" Gilbert asked in curiosity, helping him wash his hair, fingers massaging his scalp to get all of the flour out.

"Feliciano spilled a glass of water over me too when he jumped down, and smeared the chocolate all over my face…"

Gilbert gave another chuckle as he imagined the scene – his confused little brother and a clumsy Feliciano. He turned the water off, pouring a great amount of shampoo into his palm. Ludwig kept his head titled down, ready to be spoiled.

"What did Remus say? Why didn't he help you? He could have at least given you other clothes at least." Gilbert inquired, confused. That was a friendly man, a good father, he doubted Remus would let a child run around the house like this.

Ludwig didn't answer for a whole minute and by the time Gilbert noticed his answer was missing, Ludwig's hair was already cleaned, the white powder now replaced by the odorous foam.

"Ludwig?" Gilbert asked in concern, putting a finger under his chin and titling the adorable features up to face him.

"He… doesn't now." The boy uttered out, avoiding his brother's eyes, staring at the white suds in the bathtub floor instead.

"What do you mean?" Gilbert frowned. He was getting more and more confused with each passing second.

Ludwig shrugged at first, waiting for Gilbert to wash out the shampoo, fidgeting.

"I didn't tell I was leaving. I just left…" He mumbled under his breath, cheeks heating up.

"You came all the way here alone? Afoot? Like _this_?" Gilbert's jaw was probably hanging by now.

Ludwig gave a nod.

Gilbert's laugh started out slowly, insecurely even, before it grew into loud roaring, his strident voice echoing in the bathroom.

Ludwig pouted, blue eyes glued to the bathtub floor stubbornly.

"… Not funny." He grumbled, fighting against the smile that threatened to appear on his own lips.

Full of empathy for his poor little brother, Gilbert forced himself to stop, body shaking with suppressed chuckles. He brushed away the tears that gathered in the corners of his eyes and took the shower handle into his hand again.

He turned the water on but none came out.

A serious face expression on his face as he tried again, turning the tap-handle to the side, re-turning quickly, but still no water.

Perfect fucking timing.

"Are you serious?" He seemed to be addressing the tap itself. "Are you _really_ serious?" He wanted to swear but controlled himself, replacing it with a safe word. "You got to be kidding me!" Poor Ludwig look up at the shrill voice.

They were out of water.

Gilbert glared daggers at the silvery pipe, like it would answer if he stared long enough.

It was Ludwig who broke the silence, laughing heartily.

Even though it was him who was in the worst position, hair full of shampoo, he continued laughing at Gilbert's expression, clutching his naked belly as he convulsed with laughter. Gilbert's attention switched onto him, he reached out to grab Ludwig's hand to prevent him from slipping and falling into the tub.

"You little brat…" He whispered and rubbed his eyelids with the back of his free hand, thinking about what to do.

They still had those bottles of water that Gerhart kept in the kitchen for cases like these.

* * *

The clock showed half-past nine when Gerhart finally returned home, glad that the work was finally over. He was ready to check up on his younger son and go straight to the bed.

He locked the door quietly − hopefully Gilbert remembered to take his own keys − took his jacket off, put his briefcase aside. He would return back to take it later. Dim light was coming from the living-room and he strolled over.

He rubbed his eyes quickly, the prickling sensation was annoying, and threw a look inside. Maybe Ludwig fell asleep in front of the TV. What he saw wasn't unusual but surprised him. The light coming from the device was enough to illuminate the two brothers lying on the couch together, both fallen asleep in their pajamas.

Gilbert on his back with Ludwig sprawled on top of him due to the lack of space.

There was another couch free. But Ludwig apparently wanted to sleep next to his big brother.

Gilbert's hands were locked together, fingers laced, folded under his head on the sofa rest. How he managed to fall asleep in that position with an additional weight on his chest was a mystery for Gerhart.

A smile stretched across his lips. He came closer, squatted down to press a kiss against Ludwig's temple and ruffled Gilbert's hair. As he expected, the older son woke up, squinting up at him.

"Did anything happen? I thought you were going out?" Gerhart whispered.

Gilbert yawned and gave a vague shrug in return, more asleep than awake, left hand settled on Ludwig's back to pat him gently.

"Hey… you're not drooling all over my shirt, are you?" He joked just when someone knocked on the door.

"Go upstairs. And turn the TV off." Gerhart instructed and went to answer, wondering who dared to disturb him now that he had finally returned home.

He opened up without bothering to check who was standing outside.

A familiar brunette greeted him, smiling.

"Good evening, Gerhart."

The blond let the pause last before offering a reply.

"Remus."

_**To Be Continued…**_

**A/N: Only two more chapters for this story. And I won't make it Germancest either, sorry *hides under a rock***

**And that bathroom scene - the same thing happened to me, I swear! I was washing my hair, turned the water off to use the shampoo and not even a minute later – no water! You can only imagine my expression…**


	3. Mental Scars

**Title: **_**Nobody said it was easy (having a sibling) 3/4**_

**Character(s): **Prussia, Germany, Germania, Rome, France, Spain

**Rating: **13+

**Warnings: **language, sexual themes, mentioned violence, AU, human names

**Summary: **It's easy having a younger sibling? Lies. At least that's what Gilbert thinks. But only sometimes.

**- Chapter 3 -** **(Unfortunate Witness)**

_He was greeted by a familiar, smiling brunette._

"_Good evening, Gerhart."_

_The blonde let the pause last for few more seconds before giving a reply._

"_Remus."_

Not even the bright smile coming from the other man made the blonde change the blank expression.

Remus cleared his throat and offered yet another smile, the message was obvious.

Never hiding his dissatisfaction, Gerhart opened the door wider after a few moments, quietly inviting the guest inside.

The brunette was polite enough to wait for the door to be closed again before heading towards the living room of the known house.

"I won't disturb you for long, I only came to apologize." Remus announced as he sat on the couch where Gilbert and Ludwig have been sleeping until few minutes ago, waiting for Gerhart to turn the lights on.

The blond took a seat across of him.

"Apologize?" Gerhart asked calmly as he threaded a lock of hair just above the right ear between his fingers and drew them through the rest of the hair, towards the very tip, until the long strands slipped from the fingertips – a habit of his when he felt exhausted. He didn't notice Remus following his movements.

"Gilbert perhaps told you," The brunette began, sounding mildly confused all of a sudden,"Well, about what happened – I didn't know. Actually, I was out of the house at that moment, Romano told me much later..." He chuckled, trying to lighten up the mood,"I still can't believe he came all the way here alone."

The brunette threw an arm over the cushy rest, making himself comfortable, and gave the blond man a look. A _look_, Gerhart thought half-amused, whose meaning he knew very well.

The other man was shamelessly ogling him in this very moment.

"I cannot follow, Remus." He answered frankly, the corner of his mouth quirked up, creating a tiny smile. He himself wasn't entirely sure what he was doing there. Sure, he knew (as if his son's constant reminders weren't a clue enough) that Remus had a thing for him, but he was more or less digging his own grave right now by flirting back.

The look of mild surprise on the other's features entertained him, but Remus didn't let himself be confused for long and grinned at the blond's uncharacteristic behavior.

Seriously, what was he thinking?

"Ah, seems like Ludwig got a little _dirty_ while playing with Feli, so he left us earlier than expected without my consent. I apologize for being so careless..."

Gerhart couldn't decide if the urge to laugh was stronger than the one to slap his own forehead.

First of all, Gilbert had lied to him as he called to tell that everything was alright. On top of that, he didn't inform he wasn't leaving. But as he seemed to have taken care of everything that happened, Gerhart could forgive.

And then there was Remus, the man whose maturity he questioned more than once, but the one who managed to always get under his skin, amuse him, intrigue him and – as sappy as it sounded – make him smile.

The one who made him think of sex again.

Embarrassing.

The fact that even a word referring to his own son sounded provocative when coming from Remus's filthy mouth too.

"I'll talk to them tomorrow, they're sleeping." Gerhart informed and stood up from the sofa. „Do you want a drink?"

Remus's interest perked up at this. No wonder, he thought he'd be shooed out by the other man, an offer to stay longer was the last thing he expected.

"Yeah, thanks." Instead of remaining to sit there, he strolled after Gerhart, following him to the bar and kitchen.

"Water? Wine? Beer?" The blond questioned while walking towards the fridge, sliding a hand through his hair again.

"Wine sounds good." Remus's voice appeared to be very near. _Too_ near if you asked the blond male, and what he felt next didn't surprise him as much as it should have.

A big hand found itself in his hair – no doubt who the intruder was – and repeated what he did only a second ago. He came to a halt, almost causing Remus to bump into him, turning back rigidly to look at the handsome brunette.

Probably having expected such a reaction, Remus only smirked in response and stood there, looking back and forth between the blue eyes in front of him, trying to detect any trace of ire caused by his gesture.

"I've always wanted to try that." Once the act has been done and the truth spoken, Remus's mind wandered off to reminiscence about the feel of the long, blond hair under his fingers. It was softer than he imagined.

"Don't do it." Gerhart warned. The truth was that he enjoyed in having his hair touched, but the brunette didn't need to know that.

As soon as he turned to face the kitchen again, Remus's heavy weight came crushing against his own body, only a hand wrapped around his waist prevented him from colliding with the fridge.

What in hell was the idiot trying to pull?

If Gerhart wasn't mistaking, the brunette made a clumsy attempt on pinning him.

"_Remus_." He hissed back, painfully aware of how good it felt to have the other's body pressed so close. He caught a whiff of Remus's cologne – combined with his exhaustion and the secure grip on his body, it made him feel pleasantly dizzy for a short moment. The next time Remus spoke, his tone was completely changed. Incomparably serious, yet... _seductive_?

"Don't fool around with me, I'm not an idiot." The breathy voice above his ear made him bite his lip. Eyes closed on their own as he waited for Remus to say more. He was willing to surrender if the other gave him a good reason to do so.

"We haven't' got an eternity, Gerhart. Time will pass quickly, the children are growing up, they'll leave sooner than you can imagine..."

Funny how the brunette loved to jump from one topic to another. Blue eyes snapped open, he didn't like the sudden seriousness and austerity coming from the brunette – it didn't suit him at all. Though it seemed Remus's actions went along the lines 'Desperate times call for desperate measures'.

"I'm a widower too, no one can understand you better, I'm sick of waiti−„

Gerhart never let him finish.

He turned around and did something he wanted for quite some time.

Their lips met in a rough kiss.

* * *

Gilbert scratched the back of his neck and yawned somnolently, almost missing the last stair on his way to the kitchen where he planned to still the need for water.

Just as another yawn threatened to escape him, he stopped in mid-motion, surprised by a strange sound coming from the other side of the living room.

The door was closed.

But the sounds could clearly be heard.

And it wasn't really the sounds that shocked him, the realization of _what kind_ of sounds did.

His jaw hung open as he stared at the closed door in darkness.

Another groan reached his ears – as if the other noises weren't bad enough – and he recognized the voice, much to his regret. No doubt, it was Remus.

"_Eeeew! Dad!_" Gilbert mouthed the words and made a disgusted face at the thought of his parent currently fucking their family friend in the living room.

Screw the water – what if they woke Ludwig up!

Covering his ears in frustration and shame, he dashed upstairs again to get his phone, a string of curses leaving his mouth like mantra.

In less than few seconds, his friend's phone was ringing. He didn't even wait for the other person to speak first.

"Francis! My dad is having sex!" He began in a hushed tone, keeping the volume just above a whisper.

On the other side of the line, the said blond pulled the mobile phone away from his ear and looked at the screen again, checking the caller ID.

"_Gilbert?_" He asked incredulously.

"And you know what's the worst – seems like he can longer than the awesome me!" Gilbert carried on, accompanying his complaints with a fake sob, "And I'm sure it's Remus, I just heard them – _good Lord_, I almost walked in on them – they're so loud…"

"_I do that sometimes as well_…" Francis told him through a short but amused laugh.

Gilbert scowled.

"What, you organize orgies to scare your children?" It was hard to tell if he was trying to be funny or banter with his friend for not helping him.

"_No, sometimes when I have people over, they tend to be very loud and my neighbors_─"

"_Aaarhhh_! It was a rhetorical question!" He face-palmed and rubbed the abused skin in circular movements, feeling helpless. The grip increased only a second later, nails leaving marks on his forehead as he tried to block out another moan coming from downstairs.

He's never looking at Remus with the same eyes again…

"Where are you? What are you doing right now?" He inquired, thinking about how to get out of the mess before they wake Ludwig up.

"_At home alone. Watching a film_."

There was a long pause. Gilbert thanked God he didn't have to listen to more _noises_ in the meantime. At least his father wasn't as loud.

"Alright, who are you and what have you done to my best friend?"

The amused voice on the other end of the line laughed.

"_You know, Gilbert, strictly between ourselves, I think it was about damn time your dad got laid_."

"_Francis_! You're no fucking help at all!" The blond whined pathetically into the earphone, inwardly wondering why his friend was already home.

More laughter followed.

"_How about you come over?_"

* * *

Ludwig frowned as someone shook his shoulder lightly, waking him up for the second time that night.

"Ludwig, wake up… wake up…" Gilbert kept whispering until he was sure he got his brother's full attention. The cover was thrown aside too, urging the boy to stand up.

"Dad is busy─" He stopped there. What a stupid sentence.

How was he supposed to explain to an innocent child what kind of perversities were going on in their house?

The younger blond stared back with a confused gaze, looking utterly lost.

"We're going to Francis right now. You be a good boy and cover your ears for me when we get downstairs, okay?"

Ludwig gave an almost inconspicuous nod, azure eyes widened in wonder and curiosity. For a second, he reminded Gilbert on a porcelain doll.

He made sure the car-keys and the phone were in his pocket, took a pair of trousers for Ludwig to change in the morning and led them outside as quickly as he managed.

* * *

"Yo." Gilbert greeted quickly when Francis unlocked the door for them, holding his jacket and other belongings on one hand and lugging Ludwig along with the other one that the blond held tightly with his little fingers.

"Hey." Francis shot back. "Welcome to my humble place." The teen added as he showed them in. "I've prepared the bed for him and I have the couch for you, unless you're sleeping together."

"We'll share, no problem…" Gilbert answered, looking the long-haired blond closely. Something about Francis's outer appearance bugged him greatly.

"Umm… care to explain why you've got a…" He pointed at his own eye for emphasis, "Is that a black eye?"

Francis gave a vague shrug. "I'll tell you after you put him to the bed if you want."

"So?" Gilbert inquired as he wrapped his fingers around the warm cup of _le chocolat chaud_ Francis made them.

"Ah, well, nothing much to explain actually… It was Romano." Francis informed while scratching the short beard on his chin.

"I suspected that. Why though?" Gilbert asked and took a sip of the warm drink, the senses enjoying in the rich chocolate flavour .

"I kissed Antonio."

And almost spat it out.

"You _what_?"

"Perhaps I should explain first─"

"You total idiot – how could you do that in front of him, I have no sympathy for you at all." Gilbert coughed a little and shook his head in disbelief.

"No, no, you don't understand, _mon ami_ – I did it _because_ Romano could see us. You see, 'Tonio was complaining at how he was being ignored, and I simply offered help to attract Romano's attention. That is all…" Francis chuckled at the memory of what happened in the bar.

"Is it now…?" His guest cocked an eyebrow before taking another sip, clearly not believing him.

Francis took a minute or two to answer.

"Maybe it lasted longer than it should have?" He offered and Gilbert rolled his eyes in return, "Oh, _mon Dieu_, he wasn't protesting and the kiss was good, so…" The attempt of justification ended up in causing the Beilshmidt to move the cup away and literally bang his forehead against the table.

"Why do people insist on giving me mental scars tonight?" He groaned.

"Are you judging me for that?"

Gilbert titled his head up to look at his friend, chin leaned against the wooden surface.

"Oh shut _up_, Francis, I've known you since forever. Now tell me how you ended up with a black eye."

Francis gave a laugh at that.

"Well, someone pulled me back by the collar – it was Romano, I realized later – turned me around and landed a punch... I believe he aimed at my nose, but it was dark and everything happened too quick. I'm lucky he didn't break anything."

Gilbert almost felt bad for laughing at his friend, but the more vivid the images in his head got the harder it was to control himself and fight against the forthcoming fits of laughter.

"And Antonio? Did he survive?" He managed between the surpassed chuckles.

"I have no idea... The next time I looked around, he was gone. Romano too."

* * *

The dial tone sounded too loud to his own ear in the silence of the bedroom where Gilbert listened to Ludwig's even breathing while sitting on the bed beside the sleeping boy.

His lips formed a smile as he brushed few strands falling in front of the blond's eyes away, making him shift in his sleep. Three more rings before someone finally answered.

"_Gil?_"

"Hey, I'm over at Francis', will explain you tomorrow – just wanted to ask you something..."

He heard Antonio give a yawn on the other side of the line and the smile widened before he continued speaking.

"I heard from our dear Francis here that you ended up with that brat again?"

The first answer he became was a short chuckle.

"_But, Gil, that foul mouth of his can do such wooo~nderful things…_"

At last then, Gilbert sincerely considered undergoing a process of brain-bleach.

"Man… I totally didn't want to hear that." He wanted to whine again, but ended up covering his face for the nth time that day. "Well anyway… why are you whispering?"

"_Roma is sleeping_."

"_Oh_." The blond retorted eloquently, causing Antonio to give yet another chuckle.

"Talk to you later then." Gilbert said quickly and ended the call.

He stared at the bright screen of the phone absently until the light went off and he found himself in darkness again.

With a sigh, he put the device away and laid beside the younger blond, facing him. Only a minute or two later, Ludwig shifted closer upon sensing his warmth and Gilbert had to find a more comfortable position, slipping one hand under the boy's neck as not to hinder the blood-flow and took a deep breath again.

He fell asleep after few more minutes, exhausted from the eventful day, the sensation of Ludwig's warm breath caressing his neck being the last thing he felt before drifting off to the dreamland.

_**To Be Continued…**_

**A/N: The next chapter is the last one. I tried to make this one as short as possible, hope I didn't disappoint… -_-**


	4. Those Little Words

**Title:** **_Nobody said it was easy (having a sibling) 4/4 _**

**Character(s):** Prussia, Germany, Germania, Spain, France

**Warnings:** alcohol, tears, brotherly fluff, AU, language, human names

**Note:** As not to cause misunderstandings - there are no hints of Prussia/Hungary whatsoever. Author doesn't like this pairing. *hides in her corner again*

**A/N: Phew. Finally finished this one. Made corrections in the previous chapters too... Enjoy… **

**- Chapter 4 - (Those Little Words) **

"And do you know what Elizaveta said?" Gilbert raised his voice in a poor imitation of a girl's voice, "'I know you all hate me because I'm smart and beautiful, stupid bitches!'" He made a face for a second and went on talking, caught up in the speech."Excuse me, do I look like a stupid bitch to you?"

Francis and Antonio burst into a fit of laughter in the midst of the bar.

The narrator shook his head and took a drink of his beer.

A Friday, their day, their time of the week again. Gilbert waited seven bloody days to go out. Even though half of the fun was getting drunk, he had to skip this time. Gerhart gave him the car. But it was still far better than sitting at home.

"The two of you are at loggerheads since forever. When will you stop fightin'?" Francis fought not to slur.

They were almost drunk. Both of them.

"Dunno. Do perfumes expire?"

"What?" Antonio leaned closer along with Francis, thinking he hadn't heard right.

"Huh?" Gilbert looked at them.

"What?" Francis lamely repeated his question.

"Huh?" He repeated a second time.

Francis waved him off then as it dawned on him that Gilbert was pulling his leg, Antonio still looked confused at the exchange.

"But I still think you need to find someone too, _mon ami_." He said, causing his friend to snort in response.

"I'm fine like this. Being alone is the best." Gilbert put both feet on the bar stool rest and leaned forward, elbows on the table, chin cupped in his hands. "At least I'm not like you. Like a bee, going from one flower to another." He gave a small bark of a laugh at his own pun, Antonio joined him.

"Oh, ha-ha." The wine-lover mocked, "Some four years ago or so you had sense of humor, dear Gilbert. What happened in the meantime, I really don't know…" Said teen didn't have time to respond as his phone rang and he fished it out of his pocket quickly. Upon seeing it was his father, pale features turned serious suddenly.

"Yeah?" He answered, covering his other ear. The music was distracting him.

"_Gilbert? How much did you drink?_"

"Why?" He scowled at the question. The other two slipped over, Antonio almost leaned his ear against Gilbert's, Francis on the other side, surrounding him completely.

"_Answer me_."

"Not much. One beer." He grabbed the bottle and shook what was left at the bottom. Francis gave a snicker for no reason.

There was a short pause.

"_Ludwig's school trip was canceled. They are waiting to be picked up by their parents. There has been a problem with the bus. I don't have the car._"

Gilbert gaped for few seconds in anger. Gerhart's memory must have been overflowed by a Lethean flood.***** This was _his night_. Did he already forget that? He pondered about protesting, but knew it would be preposterous. Ludwig was probably in the middle of nowhere and he had the car. He didn't have a choice.

Gerhart finished telling him about the location, expecting an answer.

"Right." He forced out, pursing his lips in annoyance.

"_Hurry up. Don't let him wait. And goodbye to you and everyone who is listening to this conversation._" He hung up. Francis and Antonio returned to their respective chairs, quiet.

"I should be going." Gilbert said, but he just sat there. Both knew better than to argue. Gilbert could get in an ugly mood when angry.

"Here's to you, guys." He said and lifted the beer, "Here's to the_ Bad Touch Trio_." Their beer bottles chinked and Gilbert drained the rest of his drink.

* * *

He waited until his brother put his backpack on the backseat before starting the car again. Ludwig was taking his damn time, folding his jacket neatly along with his other stuff, and he almost groaned out. He pushed against the gas pedal in impatience, scaring two kids outside.

Ludwig then sat into the seat next to him, fastened his belt, took a deep breath and turned to Gilbert, blue eyes widened in childish excitement.

"We stopped after only thirty minutes, no one told us what was wrong." By the time he started his story Gilbert has already turned the car and was driving back.

"Then they made us go out and we waited here for a whole hour. The teacher called all parents and told them that the trip is canceled." Gilbert barely listened to him, looking straight ahead, just gripping the wheel in dissatisfaction the child failed to notice.

Much to his regret, Ludwig continued with his gibberish and he idly wondered when he became so talkative.

"I had the feeling something was wrong with the bus from the very start, I knew something was going to happen—" He wasn't involved in the whole story, why would that interest him? Rather, he thought about the missed chance of having fun with his friends who were now probably in one of the clubs. The throbbing of his impatience seemed to drown the words he was saying.

"—and then there was some noise. I thought it was a tire and— "

"_Ludwig_." The older blond cut him off rudely, "Shut your mouth for at least five fucking minutes, will you?"

Ludwig cringed at his words.

Innocent eyes observed Gilbert but his sibling refused to spare him a glance, scowling darkly, red eyes fixed on the road.

He was wearing contacts again, Ludwig noticed.

Strange how Gilbert's change of tone could manipulate his emotions so easily. It was the first time he ever heard his brother use such blatant words in his presence, and they coupled with the harsh tone left him tongue-tied.

Gilbert seemed to avoid any kind of conversation like the plague. He turned on the radio and raised the volume. Ludwig had the urge to cover his ears.

He turned away in his seat, staring outside. It was getting dark.

Tears started down his cheeks. He ignored the tingling sensation for a while, but brushed them away after a minute with a sleeve clumsily, the fabric soaked up the salty drops. A shaky breath escaped him and his bottom lip trembled so slightly that the movement was barely perceptible. But it was not like his brother cared.

More tears followed but he kept quiet. Inwardly however, he wanted Gilbert to see him, to notice him, even though he felt ashamed because he was crying.

The occasional sniffs were easily drowned out by the radio, leaving the older one oblivious.

They passed houses, parks, people, but Ludwig couldn't see anything. All he saw were tears. All he heard were those words.

By the time they reached the house his head was throbbing with pain.

He left the car, not taking his clothes and other belongings, rushed towards the entrance door and upstairs to his bedroom, quick as Mercury. **** **

Gilbert took the backpack instead and rolled his eyes, assuming his brother was angry for some stupid reason, and followed leisurely. The day was ruined either way, why the rush.

Gerhart waited in the hall, giving his son a strange look as he put the things aside and took his sneakers off. Two plaits adored his long hair and Gilbert immediately knew Remus has been over that day.

"What?" He asked his father gruffly.

"Why is your brother crying?" Calm, he inquired, having concluded that his older son was the cause of Ludwig's distress.

Gilbert blinked as he experienced a hideous feeling as if he has just been jerked awake after dozing heavily. The car keys almost dropped from his hand.

Ludwig? His little Ludwig? _Crying_?

The information worked like a slap in the face.

"What's the matter?" Gerhart asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"I… I think… I might have said something…" Palm covered his mouth and chin as guiltiness washed over him and he realized his mistake. He was an ass towards Ludwig for no reason whatsoever. It wasn't his fault that his day was ruined.

In a situation where everyone in the world would slap themselves on the forehead, he stood as though glued to the carpet. He made Ludwig cry. Not a stranger, not another child, but he, his own brother. With a shoulder lightly leaned onto the wall, Gerhart spoke, rubbing salt into his wound.

"Gilbert. Did you know that your brother is among the best pupils of his generation?" The younger Beilschmidt suspected something similar, but Gerhart left him confused. The question was strange.

"He comes into your room almost every day to ask for help with his homework, does he not?" He went on patiently, searching for signs of understanding. Gilbert seemed to grasp the meaning after few seconds.

"He doesn't need my help to begin with…" Something inside clicked, yet made him even more puzzled at the same time.

"Do you know why?"

Gilbert shook his head.

"Because he wants to spend time with you, Gilbert." A faint smile appeared on the man's lips, but Gilbert didn't notice it in his bewilderment. "He doesn't care about the homework, he only wants to be with you. You know he never had a mother, and I couldn't be there all the time. Ludwig loves you the most."

Rarely touched by such words, Gilbert felt like kicked in the chest once he was.

How could he be so stupid and blind? Of course Ludwig doesn't need help, the child is a genius. He felt like laughing and crying at the same time at his own ignorance.

"And here I thought you'd come up with a suggestion." Gilbert said as he couldn't stand the silence anymore. He thrust his hands into his pockets in shame, the keys jangled inside.

"I have nothing to suggest." Gerhart responded and took his son's bag from the floor, "I know you are quick to anger, but you seldom hold a grudge. Go and apologize to your brother."

They parted, Gerhart went to the living-room, Gilbert ascended the stairs.

He headed straight to Ludwig's bedroom, but stopped right in front of it.

He hesitated for a whole minute before turning the doorknob and found that the door was unlocked. The room was dark, not a single light was on, the blond alone on the bed, back turned to him. Ludwig's pup appeared out of nowhere beside him and ran inside, jumping on the bed to join its master. While he stood there Blackie found a comfortable place beside Ludwig's legs.

He followed the pet and took few steps forward, his brother didn't say anything, didn't protest. Some kind of an awkward suspense seemed to hover around them, and it was his responsibility to break it.

Blackie let out a whine, craving the child's attention and moved to lie directly in front of him. Ludwig let him. He stroked the pup that curled up, his other hand pulling at the hem of his own striped sweater absently, almost curled like the dog itself.

At the sound of Ludwig's sniff, his heart sank.

"Lud?" He began, his voice came out as a whisper. His brother remained entirely still. Gilbert wanted to bang his head against a wall. Was he really expecting Ludwig to offer forgiveness in face of every offense?

"I know you hate me now…" He trailed off.

"I don't hate you." Ludwig replied in a small voice.

Gilbert knew it was true, but the words could not deceive his aching heart.

"Am I way off base?" He chuckled nervously, trying to lighten up the mood. "You must be angry at me then."

Silence fell upon them.

Gilbert decided he was playing his very last card then.

"I'm really− I mean… I really didn't… I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." He stopped with his clumsy efforts to apologize, feeling utterly stupid.

"I know." Ludwig whispered and stroked the dog again. "I'm not angry at you."

Gilbert sighed in something that was either relief or frustration and sat down at the opposite side.

With a determined nod, he joined Ludwig, scooted over and wrapped his hands around the smaller body, holding him close. How did this little brat manage to always make him so affectionate?

"I'd rather die than intentionally cause you pain." Gilbert said and let his fingers sift through the blond hair. Ludwig nodded in understanding and Gilbert pressed a kiss to his brother's cheek with a smile.

He lay there, resting his cheek against Ludwig's shoulder for a long time. His thumb was rubbing across the back of his brother's smaller hand gently, enveloped in a snug feeling of safety while he held the child in his arms.

"I love you, silly."

"Me too, brother." Ludwig whispered back and leaned into the warmth that was his sibling.

It may not be easy, but some words are worth the trouble.

**- The End - **

*** Lethean flood** - in classical mythology, the water of the river Lethe in the underworld caused total forgetfulness  
**** Mercury** - Roman messenger god - in Roman mythology, the god of commerce and rhetoric, who also acted as a messenger between humans and gods. He is noted for his speed.

**A/N: I'm so sorry for making you wait ;_; But here it is now. It's the last chapter. Thank you for reading and for all the lovely comments 3 ****  
****Buhyoo! Little!Germany is the cutest thing ever *o***


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